Asian Style Peanut Butter Tempeh

Are you a tempeh fan? The recipe we are about to make will make you a tempeh addict no matter what your answer was! We are making an Asian Style Peanut Butter Tempeh served on a bed of rice. If that sounds mouthwatering just wait until you try this. 

Tempeh has to be one of my favourite sources of plant-based protein. I used to struggle quite a bit with it because I had no idea how to use it. But it is jam-packed with proteins and so many other benefits so I went on a hunt for recipes that would help me understand how it works. 

One of my favourite cooking methods is to bake tempeh drenched in a tasty marinade. And the marinade we have for this recipe is exactly that. It is made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen so no need to run to the store whenever you crave this tasty tempeh bites.

The secret, not so secret ingredient in our marinade is peanut butter. I have to confess that when I first heard of adding peanut butter to savoury dishes I was a bit put off. In my world, peanut butter was only for toast and you ate it for breakfast. It had no business being mixed with soy sauce, even less chili or tempeh.  

I gave it a try and I've converted 100%. This recipe includes peanut butter, soy sauce, chili and ginger. This combination will give our dish a bit of an Asian flavour to it and the sweetness of the peanut butter pretty much disappears. 

I like using sugar-free peanut butter and stay away from the super commercial brands that add a ton of sugar. You all know how I feel about refined sugar. When I'm feeling crafty and I have extra time on my hands I even make my own peanut butter. It is incredibly easy, you just have to put the peanuts in the blender or a food processor. The oil in the peanuts is enough to give it a nice smooth creamy texture. 

Once you have all the ingredients all you need to do is mix them together and marinate the tempeh. Then just place all the tempeh bits on a baking tray and put it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until you see a nice golden brown colour. That will tell you you have some nice caramelised tempeh ready to be eaten.

The aromas coming out of your oven will be just amazing! I think this is one of my favourite parts of roasting food. I love that moment when your food has been in the oven for a little while and suddenly the lovely aromas invade your home and you know food is almost ready.

You can now devour these flavourful tempeh bits. Serve them alongside rice, drizzle with a bit of marinade and sprinkle with the garnish. This will add a bit of flavour and moisture, and your dish will look super pretty.